Assam CM calls for coordinated steps to save state's famed wildlife

Guwahati, Oct 06 (IANS): Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday called for concerted measures to protect the state's rich and diverse wildlife."Assam has the proud privilege of sustaining a verdant wildlife in its cradle. However, trespassing into the territory of wildlife by vested interests, including the poachers, has put the population of wildlife in peril," Sonowal said at an event to mark the Wildlife Week 2018 here.

The state government is preparing an all-inclusive roadmap to project Assam as one of the most beautiful and exotic tourist destinations, Sonowal said. "If the state wants to continue to have its name in the world of wildlife tourism, its floral and faunal resources have to be preserved at all costs," he stressed.The Chief Minister lauded the role of forest guards, conservationists and the people living in the fringe districts such as Biswanath, Sonitpur, Nagaon, Golaghat and Karbi Anglong of Kaziranga National Park in helping reduce instances of poaching, and a considerable rise in the population of rhinoceros and other wildlives in the state.Man-animal conflict is essentially due to the shrinkage of habitat and food for animals, Sonowal said, adding that occasions like Wildlife Week should create awareness and build capacity for the protection of animals and their habitat.Sonowal asked the Environment and Forest Department to organise awareness rallies across the state in order to motivate people to protect the state's rich bio-diversity.